Seasonal Sundays: Simple Thanksgiving Sides

This week's "Seasonal Seven" recipe collection is for everyone (me included!) with a soft spot for Thanksgiving's wonderful vegetable side dishes, I swear, I could make a dozen 🙄 and still find room on the menu for one more. But! Here I selected just seven simple but Thanksgiving-suitable recipes for seven different vegetables, then paired each one with another that's slightly more effort but extra-worthy. I've been collecting Thanksgiving vegetable recipes since way back in 2006, you just know, there are so many winners here.

~ Skip Straight to the Good Stuff ~

Welcome to Seasonal Sundays ...

Hey, all. Thank you for following Kitchen Parade, for checking in on these Sunday recipe collections. It means the world to be welcomed into your InBox and RSS readers and most of all, your kitchens. So thank you, thank you. And if you like this week's recipes, perhaps you'll share this newsletter with a friend or social circle? If you forward this message, others may subscribe for free right here. Thank you!

Well, hey, anyone else still looking for reservations recipe inspiration for Thanksgiving? I've got you. Cook good things, please, please, because this year I'm cooking vicariously. I'll even do the dishes!

THANKSGIVING RESOURCE PAGES
• THE MOTHER LODE Thanksgiving Menus, Recipes & More from Kitchen Parade, the one-stop page, all very organized for easy browsing and targeted searches.


• BECAUSE VEGETABLE SIDES > EVEN GOOD TURKEY Thanksgiving Vegetable Recipes from A Veggie Venture, especially for vegetable lovers, sorted by everyone's favorite Thanksgiving vegetables. Every time I open this page, I give myself an attagirl because it's just so dang useful!


• NOT COOKING A TURKEY? Vegetarian Entrées for Thanksgiving


• NEED HELP WITH A MENU? Six Thanksgiving Menus

SEASONAL SUNDAY COLLECTIONS
• 2019 Pick One: Just One Recipe Recommendation Per Course (including my personal timetable)
• 2023 My Dream Thanksgiving
• 2020 Thanksgiving for Two & Other Small Tables
• 2020 Last-Minute Thanksgiving Ideas
• 2022 Last-Minute Appetizers
• 2023 Holiday Salads
• 2022 Thanksgiving Pies

About the Photo By Popular Request, a Little Insight into the Top Image: I'll give him this, the dog picked a great time of year for surgery, post-surgery restrictions and recovery. Since November 1, the physical therapy regimen calls for two short walks a day. Phone off, what a joy these walks have been on these lovely, lovely late-fall days, so sunny and pretty, the leaves brilliant golds and russets as we make our way up and down (literally, since our street is steep!) to the mailbox and back.

In Praise Of ...

• ... a possible conversation starter this Thanksgiving, asked by a very senior former Google tech guy I've been acquainted with for many years who popped up this week on the Twitter/X alternative Bluesky (find me there are https://bsky.app/profile/alannakellogg.bsky.social, no food, sorry, just politics, be sure to say "hi" so I know who you are and can follow back!) ... he first heard the question at a dinner party and couldn't get it / the responses out of his head and I'm finding it the same ... the question is ... "what are you feeling optimistic about?"


• ... my husband had a very cool Tommy Bahama outerwear vest that we both loved but it completely wore out, inside and out and since it's no longer available, he wanted a Carhartt vest and is uncharacteristically thrilled with this Men's Carhartt Vest with Sherpa Lining (affiliate link), I have to admit, it's more rustic than Tommy Bahama but it's sharp!

---

---

THE SEASONAL SEVEN: Simple Thanksgiving Sides

For this week's recipes, I aimed for Thanksgiving-special recipes that are ...

• ... all worthy of a holiday meal like Thanksgiving
• ... feature Thanksgiving's top seven favorite vegetables, all (plus several more) included in this incredible Thanksgiving resource from A Veggie Venture, Thanksgiving Vegetable Recipes, super-organized to let you hone in, asap, on the one recipe that'll work perfectly for your situation.
• ... super-simple to make (often in mere minutes) and serve plus an option with the same vegetable that might take a little more effort (and I do mean just a little, save one) but is worthy of a special holiday celebration
• ... are good to reheat for great leftovers!

• SUPER SIMPLE Rustic Mashed Sweet Potatoes & Carrots A happy marriage of sweet potatoes and carrots. (PIN This)
• JUST A LITTLE MORE EFFORT Sweet Potato Casserole Honoring the tradition while transforming it into something contemporary.

• SUPER SIMPLE Roasted Green Beans with Rosemary & Walnuts Quickly roasted at high heat.
• DEFINITELY MORE EFFORT BUT WORTHY & POSSIBLY LIFE-CHANGING World's Best Green Bean Casserole Yesterday's comfort food made fresh. (PIN This)

• SIMPLE BUT MEMORABLE Three Secrets for Rich & Creamy Mashed Potatoes Easy to remember, easy to execute in this recipe or your own favorite.
• MORE EFFORT BUT MAKE-AHEAD & SLOW COOKER OPTION Perfect Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes (Party Potatoes) Make-ahead mashed potatoes for a crowd. (PIN This)

• SUPER SIMPLE Silky Smooth Corn Pudding Ten minutes to make, starts with (canned!) creamed corn.
• NOT MUCH MORE EFFORT ESPECIALLY WITH FROZEN CORN Fresh Creamed Corn Garden luxury, straight to the table. (PIN This)

• SUPER SIMPLE Roasted Butternut Squash & Apple Unexpected layers of flavor and color, a very pretty dish. (PIN This)
• A LITTLE MORE EFFORT BUT WORTHY Squash Puff An old family recipe, traditional for Thanksgiving. (PIN This)

• SUPER SIMPLE Easy-Easy Slow Cooker Honey Carrots Beautiful color for a plate or buffet.
• MORE EFFORT BUT WORTHY Creamy Carrot Purée A show-stopping side dish, just carrots, cream and fresh rosemary.

• JUST THREE INGREDIENTS Easy Brussels Sprouts Bites Grab the toothpicks! Surprisingly popular at parties! Or serve as a side, too. (PIN This)
• A LITTLE MORE EFFORT BUT EXTRA FESTIVE Bodacious Brussels Sprouts Prep ahead of time, then finish just before serving. (PIN This)

What's Brand-Spankin' New?!

Wondering about a recipe from the last while? Check Recent Recipes from Kitchen Parade and Recent Vegetable Recipes from A Veggie Venture.

• THE RECIPE Hasselback Potatoes So little effort, so much drama. (PIN This)

November: Reader Favorites

• THE RECIPE Homemade Butterhorns (Thanksgiving Crescent Rolls) My grandmother's recipe, rolled in the traditional cornucopia shape. (PIN This)
• ANOTHER TAKE Homemade Yeast Rolls My mom's soft, golden "ice cream pail" buns.

• THE RECIPE Sweet Potato Casserole Honoring the tradition while transforming it into something contemporary.
• ANOTHER TAKE Slow Cooker Sweet Potatoes with Cranberry & Orange Sweet with orange and tart with cranberry. So delicious!

November: Trending

• THE INFO Ham 101 What to Know Before Buying a Ham. (PIN This)
• THEN FIRE UP THE SMOKER Twice-Smoked Ham How & why to smoke a smoked ham a second time. (PIN This)

• THE RECIPE Weight Watchers Zero Points Garden Vegetable Soup The first recipe that really put A Veggie Venture on the road to success.
• BUT WAIT, THERE's MORE All the WW Zero-Point Soups

November: Recipes Lookin' for a Little Love

• THE RECIPE Mulled Apple Cider Fruit and spices turn supermarket apple cider into something special and irresistible. (PIN This)
• ANOTHER TAKE Glögi (Hot Red Mulled Wine) Scandinavian-style hot red wine 'mulled' with spices, fruit and for good luck, an almond. (PIN This)

• THE RECIPE Curried Squash A lovely fall and winter "side dish" or "under food".
• ANOTHER TAKE Sweet Potato Curry with Red Lentils, Roasted Peppers & Spinach Stovetop or slow cooker vegan supper or side, spiked with a touch of heat.

The Kitchen Parade Almanac: Looking Ahead ...

• November 28th (just 5 days away!) - American Thanksgiving
• December 1st (Sunday) - Alanna's Unofficial First Day of Winter
• December 1st (Sunday) - First Sunday of Advent
• December 1 - 23 - PikkuJoulu (Finnish "Little Christmas")
• December 6th (Friday) - St. Nicholas' Day
• December 6th (Friday) - Finnish Independence Day
• December 13th (Friday) - Santa Lucia Day
• December 21st (Saturday) - Winter Solstice (Official First Day of Winter)
• December 23rd (Monday) - Christmas Adam (Adam & ... get it?!)
• December 24th (Tuesday) - Christmas Eve
• December 25th (Wednesday) - Christmas Day
• December 26th (Thursday) - Boxing Day
• December 26th - 31st - Kwanzaa
• December 31st (Tuesday) - New Year's Eve

Looking Back ...

THIS WEEK, YEARS PAST
• 2019 Thanksgiving Planning (Week 48)
• 2020 Last-Minute Thanksgiving Ideas (Week 48)
• 2022 Last-Minute Appetizers (Week 48)
• 2023 December Bucket List (Week 48) (PIN This)

RECENT WEEKS
• Unexpected Thanksgiving Desserts (Week 47) (PIN This)
• Substantial Soups (Week 46) (PIN This)
• Casual Fall Suppers (Week 44) (PIN This)
• Seasonal Sundays: Fall Recipes for Cauliflower (Week 43) (PIN This)
• Pumpkin Season (Week 40) (PIN This)
• Fall Baking (Week 39) (PIN This)
• Seasonal Sundays' Five-Year Anniversary: My Signature Recipes (Week 38) (PIN This)
• Fall Meal Prep (Week 37) (PIN This)

Good to Know!

• THE RECIPE Thanksgiving Turkey Vegetable Platter Tips & Techniques & Timing.
• ANOTHER TAKE Christmas Tree Vegetable Platter Just wait for the compliments!

Don't Be a Stranger ...

I'd love to hear from you. Comment, send me a quick e-mail (my current address is in the FAQs), dot-dash in Morse code, build a fire for smoke signals, launch a message in a bottle, send a Christmas letter, get the dog to yip, toss me a note wrapped in a rubberband, write a message in the sky, scratch a note in the sand, listen to a seashell, tuck a question into a plastic Easter egg, whatever.

• Any advice for Seasonal Sundays?
• Just one thing that would make it more useful for you?
• Anything else? Chime in, chat away.

---

Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. Quick Suppers are Kitchen Parade favorites and feature recipes easy on the budget, the clock, the waistline and the dishwasher. Do you have a favorite recipe that other Kitchen Parade readers might like? Just send me a quick e-mail, you'll find my current address in the FAQs. How to print a Kitchen Parade recipe. Never miss a recipe! If you like this recipe, sign up for a free e-mail subscription. If you like Kitchen Parade, you're sure to like my food blog about vegetable recipes, too, A Veggie Venture. When you make my recipes, I'd love to know your results! Just leave a comment below or better still, on the specific recipe's page.

---

© Copyright Kitchen Parade
2024